The Little Things
by Moo Moo plus Cow
Summary: Like the divergence point in a visual novel, a small difference brings about unexpected results. Often, it is the little things that make the biggest impact. Kyousuke finds this out the hard way - or maybe not.
1. Chapter 1

**A message from the cow: **_Being a fan of this series, I couldn't stop myself from writing a story about it. I see a few others couldn't help themselves either. _

_This story will take elements from all related works – manga, novels, anime – and will include spoilers for future volumes of the light novels. As only the first volume has been translated to English, everything after that canon-wise that I happen to use comes purely from what the anime has shown us and from the summaries I've read about the following volumes. As such, I may be off with a few things and if I am, I apologise. I will be attempting to follow the novel timeline instead of the anime one._

_While I'll try keep the original feel of the base work intact, this will be written in a semi-realistic manner. Hopefully, it won't be done terribly._

_Also, a shout to the person who compiled the summaries I mentioned above. I'd have gone crazy without them._

OoOoO

"I'm home,"

His greeting done, a young man of seventeen removed his shoes and placed them in the shoe rack next to the door. Giving his back a quick stretch and eliciting a few satisfying pops, he slipped on a pair of slippers and made for the dining room. Dressed in casual clothes – a pair of khakis and a simple white shirt – he was the epitome of normal. His short black hair and deadpan expression screamed average, his lean build hinting at nothing more than typical fitness. In a crowd, he would be easily lost amongst the sea of people. It was just how he liked it.

The boy – Kyousuke Kousaka – didn't bat an eyelash when his call went unanswered. It was nothing out of ordinary. He knew his father was at work while his mother was probably out, no doubt food shopping as they were low on supplies. His sister... well, she wouldn't answer even if she was around.

She hated his guts, after all.

Most siblings have their ups and their downs, but the relationship they shared was far from regular. They had gone _years _without having a meaningful conversation – something most people probably wouldn't believe, seeing as they lived in the same house and saw each other every day – and the few times they did trade words in that time, it was usually in the form of derogatory remarks.

Mostly from her. In response, he had taken on the role of practically ignoring her at every turn.

In recent times, they had begun to interact more though. After accidentally discovering her secret hobby, she had reluctantly sought his advice after he surprised her by not making fun of her. Playing the older brother, he agreed. Since then, his life had been hectic – far removed from the normalcy he was used too and preferred. In large part, it was due to her hobby itself. It was far from normal, especially for a young girl such as her.

She liked to play _eroge_ – porn games – and that wasn't all. All of them involved a common theme, a theme which had shocked Kyousuke more than anything else.

The theme? Brothers and sisters.

Or to be more accurate, older brothers and younger sisters.

Just thinking about it gave the boy a headache on occasion. It didn't help that she had roped him into playing those very same games. Against his better judgement, he had even begun to enjoy them somewhat. He couldn't help but get excited when he cleared a game or unlocked some hidden feature. It was the rush of adrenaline, the knowledge that he had completed something difficult – for him, at least – the surprise at discovering a new character or option. Then there was the immense satisfaction of getting a one hundred percent clear... it got to him.

He wasn't entirely sure how he felt about that.

Pushing those thoughts away, he opened the door and entered the next room with the intention of getting a nice, cold glass of barely tea. However, the sight of a very familiar girl sitting on one of the couches gave him pause. While she was familiar, she had never been to this house before, as far as he knew. Her unexpected presence drove any thirst he was experiencing to the back of his mind, for the moment.

"Kuroneko?"

A young girl with smooth pale skin glanced in his direction, her eyes a startling crimson red – the result of contact lenses. Her tiny body was enveloped in an elaborate old-style western black dress, white frills peeking out from the cuffs, the bottom of the skirt and from the neck. A broach in the form of a bright red rose was clipped at the base of her throat, two more similar ornaments resting on her head, contrasting sharply with her sleek, long black hair. Black stockings completed the outfit, giving her a dark, sinister appearance.

Most people would immediately identify it as cosplay, yet he knew better than to assume. Her normal clothes looked much the same from what he had seen in the short time he had known her – just over three months.

"Kyousuke-san." she returned, inclining her head.

Kyousuke's eyes lingered on the small, tiny birthmark under her left eye for a short moment before meeting her gaze. "What are you doing here?"

Turning away, she gestured lightly toward the television. Kyousuke followed her hand and was greeted by the bubbly, overly cute face of _Stardust Witch Meruru_. He blinked in surprise, watching as the scantly clad magical loli swung her impossibly large weapon at some sort of squid monster while avoiding its lightning fast tentacles. All of this happened while a catchy, upbeat melody played in the background.

"Huh," he said eloquently, experiencing a small mind-blank at the sight. "I never expected you to be watching this."

A large explosion filled the screen, the squid-creature having fired some sort of laser beam from its floppy snout. Meruru had a large smile on her face, even when the creatures attack demolished a moving car in the background.

"It is Kirino-sans fault."

Yes, Kyousuke could certainly understand that.

Making his way into the kitchen, he pulled open the fridge and retrieved the carton of barely tea in the door. Pouring himself a glass, he watched the small girl over the brim as he gulped it down in one go. Refilling the glass, he returned the carton and closed the fridge, leaning against the counter as he took a few sips.

"Where is she, anyway?"

Kuroneko continued to stare at the television. "She went out."

Kyousuke nearly spilt his drink, the glass thumping against the bench loudly as the liquid sloshed dangerously. "She left you here on your own? That little brat!"

"Her friend came over," she explained, now facing him. The end credits were rolling, the episode finished – an annoyingly chirpy song filling the room. "I don't think she intended it, she was quite surprised. She was pulled out the door before she could say anything."

He sighed, shaking his head. "Still..."

"Do not worry, Kyousuke-san." she replied, returning her attention to the anime. Pointing the remote, she skipped forward until a new episode begun – the battle of squid and magical girl continuing. It must have ended with a cliff-hanger, as the pink haired girl was trapped in the constricting limbs of her enemy. Tense music complimented the scene nicely.

"Would you like a drink?"

"No thank you."

Approaching the couch, Kyousuke sat down next to her, leaning against the backrest and crossing his legs lazily. He noticed the girl shuffling next to him but paid it no mind, content with observing the show that drove his sister nuts with its incredible cuteness. He just hoped nothing perverted started, as that would be a might uncomfortable – more uncomfortable than it already was, at any rate. The character was hardly wearing any clothes, after all.

He stared in horror as Meruru lost her shirt – ribbon, rather; it would never pass for a shirt in any sane society – in her attempt to escape her monstrous captor. Of course, the DVD version was uncensored...

She was now wearing fewer clothes.

He shifted awkwardly, glancing at his companion from the corner of his eyes. She was unaffected by what was happening, a calm look upon her face. He really should have expected that, as the girl was rather stoic about most things. Kirino seemed to be the only one that could push her buttons with any effectiveness, though their other _otaku_ friend – Saori – was capable of it from time to time.

"May I ask you something?"

He almost jumped at the soft voice, heart pounding as he exhaled heavily. The uncensored chest on the screen had really put him on edge.

"What is it?"

"Why do you do so much for your sister?"

He froze at her question, his look of surprise clear. He turned towards her. "Pardon?"

The pale girl fixed her vivid red eyes on his. "After the way she treats you, you still do so much for her. Why is that?"

It was a legitimate question and one that Kyousuke truly had no answer for, as he really had no idea why he did the things he did half of the time. In the end, he gave a small shrug. "I don't understand why, exactly."

"Are you a _siscon_?" she asked, lips twitching slightly.

"No!" he snapped irritably.

"Then are you a masochist?" she returned, a tiny smile gracing her lips – a mocking smile.

"No!" he repeated, though with a little less heat. He could see how she could come to such a conclusion. Kirino really did treat him quite badly, yet he came back for more. From the outside, it probably looked that way – that he enjoyed being stepped on by his little sister. It was rather depressing when he thought about it. "I suppose... it's because I'm her brother. It's what I should do, right?"

He shrugged again. Kuroneko nodded slowly, a strange look crossing her face – one that he had never seen her express before.

"I understand," she murmured, focusing on the anime once more. Her voice was even lighter than usual, Kyousuke subconsciously leaning in to hear her better. "You are a good brother. I'm rather jealous."

He didn't know what to say to that.

The next half-hour passed without a word and it wasn't until the ending credits were playing for that particular episode that their self-imposed silence was broken. Kyousuke yawned loudly, his cheeks lightly flushed as he tried to forget what he had just watched.

His sister really was a pervert.

"That was..." he trailed off uncertainly.

"Terrible."

"Huh?"

Kuroneko was no longer seated, standing with hands on hips. He scratched his cheek lightly, gazing up at the short girl in surprise.

"The lack of plot is the most obvious problem," she began, her voice taking on a slightly passionate tone. In truth, anyone who heard her might say that she sounded no different than any other time she spoke, yet Kyousuke knew differently. After watching her argue with his sister, he had learned to pick up the small tells she gave off when getting worked up. One thing he noticed was she tended to talk much faster than usual even if she didn't raise her voice, something she was doing now. "It jumps from place to place. There is no order, no sense to it. One minute, Meruru is fighting for her life and the next she is having a tea party, as if nothing happened! Where are the consequences? She destroys an entire city in one scene and has a smile on her face. How disturbing can you get?"

"I-Uh..."

What could he say to that?

"And the blatant fan service... there for no other reason than to sate the desires of older men. There is no reason for it. It does not contribute to the show in any worthwhile way! I don't know why people keep buying this vulgar crap."

"Well..."

...he knew why.

"The art isn't bad," she reluctantly admitted. "The animation is smooth, but it isn't enough to distract from the aforementioned issues. And I cannot forgive an anime that opens with electronic music."

"I can see the appeal in it, though." he finally managed, to the surprise of even himself.

The ranting girl stopped, pinning him with a look that screamed 'are you serious?' while at the same time ordering him to explain himself. He chuckled nervously, forgetting for a moment that she couldn't _actually_ curse him like she sometimes hinted.

...right?

"It's an escape," he began, prompting the small girl to tilt her head. "It's an escape from the real world. Friendship, love, good triumphing over evil; it's the perfect fantasy world. Life is rough and unfair. Some might say it's cruel. What better way to escape than immerse yourself in something completely opposite to what you experience every day? Where there are _no_ consequences and everything remains fresh, new and exciting."

Kuroneko stared at him in shocked silence as he forged on, becoming increasingly more animated as he leapt to his feet.

"It's all about fun. The more they watch, the better they feel – who wouldn't like something that makes them feel happy, when all they felt before was sadness? Apathy? So... yeah, it has plot-holes and sometimes it makes little sense – where the hell did that squid come from, anyway? But you know what? They don't care. The most important thing to them is... the emotions that it evokes."

It was then that he noticed her mouth was partially open, surprise clearly written all over her face. Kyousuke suddenly felt embarrassed, finally realising that he had also risen to his feet and had invaded the gothic girl's personal space during his heated counter argument. Stepping back, he rubbed his neck awkwardly – what the hell had come over him? He didn't know. One thing he did know for sure was...

...he had been playing those damn games too much. That was the only explanation.

"Sorry about that," he apologised sheepishly. "I don't even know why I got so worked up."

Kuroneko blinked. "Do not apologise. That..."

"That?" he asked, somewhat worriedly.

"While I don't agree with all of what you just said, that was... impressive."

She graced him with a small smile, this one genuine. He smiled in return, giving her a concerned look as she turned away quickly.

"I better get going. I don't think Kirino-san will be back anytime soon."

Kyousuke approached the DVD player, pushing the eject button and retrieving the disc inside. Putting it back in its rightful case, he turned the television and player off.

"I'll walk you home. You live close by, right?"

Kuroneko looked startled by the question. "You don't have to do that. I am perfectly capable of going alone."

"I insist. I'll just go put this in Kirino's room."

Quickly, the young man exited and scaled the staircase two steps at a time, hastily entering his sister's room and dumping the case on her assortment of flashy pillows. Job done, he moved on to his own bedroom and pulled on a simple black and white hooded jumper. Rolling up the sleeves, he left the zipper unclasped and open in the front. Ready to go, he descended the stairs rapidly and met the _otaku_ by the front door, slipping on her shoes. Doing the same, he pulled open the door and ushered her out before closing and locking it with his set of keys.

"You really don't have to do this." Kuroneko repeated as they walked down the street a few moments later. Her clothes were attracting a few curious looks but other than that, they were left alone.

"I have nothing better to do," he admitted. "And I'm curious about where you live."

"Oh? And why is that?"

The first corner they come across, they turned left – swerving around a group of children playing on the footpath. _Those were the days, when life was nothing but play, play, play_ – Kyousuke thought with a tiny grin. It was much simpler back then, something Kyousuke missed every so often; simple and normal, totally carefree, his perfect life.

"You should know where your friends live, right?"

It took a few seconds before Kyousuke realised he was no longer walking beside Kuroneko. Coming to stop, he glanced over his shoulder. The girl had paused mid-stride, a frown marrying her fair features.

"Who said we are friends?"

He blinked, only now recalling what he had just said. While he had only hung out with the young cosplay artist a handful of times, it had always been in the company of Saori and Kirino, never separate from them. Despite this and despite the fact that he hadn't intended to make friends himself when suggesting the off-line meeting to Kirino, he quickly come to the conclusion that it had happened regardless. He wasn't as crazy about anime and _doujinshi_ and _eroge_ as they were, but he was definitely on his way to becoming a regular fan, if nothing else. He found himself enjoying their company, even on the very first day when he found them to be incredibly weird.

If it wasn't friendship, he didn't know what was. Though to be fair, he wasn't an expert on the subject.

"Oh, I must have misunderstood then." he began walking again, gazing lazily at the surrounding houses. "I just enjoy your company, that's all. I thought maybe we were friends now."

Hands in pockets, he slouched as he heard hurried footsteps patter against concrete.

"We don't talk enough to be friends," she pointed out softly, coming level with him. He grunted.

"I suppose that's true."

The rest of the trip passed in silence, Kyousuke taking care to memorize the streets. Several turns and ten minutes later, they stood out the front of a well maintained house. It was different from the Kousaka residence, a strong Japanese influence incorporated in its design instead of their westernized home. It was only a single story with a rustic red roof, yet happened to be built long-ways – taking up a sizable portion of land. If he had to guess, despite its lack of second floor it probably had the same amount of rooms – or even more – than his own home. The property was ringed by a waist high wall, a tiny gate the only entrance to the property beyond.

Yes, very different to where he lived, even the garden was much livelier than theirs. It was obvious that someone took great care in its upkeep, bright colours everywhere he looked.

Giving a brief wave, he started back the way he came as Kuroneko fiddled with the gate. "Well, I better get going. Take care."

He had gone ten or so paces before he got a reply. "Kyousuke-san."

He shot the girl an inquisitive look as he turned towards her.

"Yeah?"

"Your sister... she is very lucky."

Confused, the boy nodded before taking his leave. He didn't notice the unsure look he received as he left.

OoOoO

"Hey, you!"

Kyousuke froze, his hand resting on the door handle to his bedroom door. Craning his neck to the side, he spied an attractive face peering out at him from the door next to his, his eyes unintentionally tracing a lock of light brown hair that brushed against the smooth expanse of skin she called her neck. Mildly disturbed by his actions, he forced his gaze toward a less dangerous area – her eyes.

Eyes that judged him as being unworthy.

Kirino Kousaka. Little sister. Brother hater. Less dangerous? Yeah right.

He clucked his tongue. "What?"

"Where have you been?" she demanded, stepping out into the hall. Dressed in a pair of fashionable jean shorts and a lime-green spaghetti strap top, she looked every part the model that she was. He grumbled irritably at her tone of voice, flinging his door open with a small flick of his wrist.

"Shouldn't I be asking _you_ that?" he asked, hands in pockets. "I get home and Kuroneko is here, alone."

Kirino visibly deflated at his words. "It wasn't my fault! Ayase pulled me out before I could do anything about it."

"Yeah, yeah," he deadpanned. "I know. Kuroneko doesn't blame you."

"L-Like I was worried about that!" she stammered, before giving him a suspicious glare. "So, where the hell were you? You never said."

He sighed, knowing that she'd never give in until he caved. "I walked her home, that's all."

Kyousuke suddenly looked over his shoulder, a chill running up his spine. Spotting no one there, he gave the hallway a wary glance – as if someone was going to jump out at any moment and attack with a knife. Looking at his sister, he cringed – the blank look on her face beyond creepy. The feeling of impending doom increased ten-fold.

"Kirino?" he questioned. She stared at him and he tried his best not to recoil at the frightening lack of emotion.

"I have another game for you."

He blinked. "What?"

"I just finished it yesterday," she explained, finally gaining a bit of life. She adopted what he amusingly dubbed as her '_otaku _face'. "It was really good and I want you to try it."

"But-"

"No buts!"

Kyousuke grunted. "Fine."

He followed her as she retreated into her room, eyes wandering unintentionally, seeking out any sign of his sisters forbidden hobby. As usual, anything that could possibly condemn her was hidden masterfully, though the Meruru screensaver on her computer screen was a dead give away. He was about to point this out to her but then thought better of it. He didn't feel like being yelled at right now.

It had been a pretty good day so far, after all. Why end it on a sour note?

"Damn, where the hell did I put it?" Kirino grumbled, digging through her desk drawer and unsuspectingly waving her bottom side to side. Kyousuke nearly bit his tongue in half when he saw what she was doing, turning away quickly before she noticed and accused him of being a pervert.

_What the hell is she doing? Wearing shorts like that... urgh, what am I thinking?_

Calming himself, he turned back towards his sister and nearly jumped through the roof when he found her standing right in front of him. In her hands was a thick box, the _eroge _she wanted him to play.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked bluntly. "You're acting odd."

Kyousuke coughed into his hand. "What are you talking about?"

Kirino frowned. "Tch, whatever."

That said she thrust the box into his hands. He glanced down at the title and his eye gave an involuntary twitch.

_Extreme Little Sister Love..._

Kyousuke sighed, unsurprised. Of course it was of the brother-sister genre, that's all she ever played.

"It's kinda long but shouldn't be too hard, even for an amateur like you," Kirino explained, hands on hips. She pierced him with a strong look. "So don't take forever."

"Sure, sure," he muttered, taking his leave. "I'll finish it as fast as I can, okay?"

A few minutes later and Kyousuke was seated at his desk, chin in hand as he watched the installer progress slowly. Letting out a massive sigh, he once again questioned why he was doing this. Even though he was slowly but surely growing to enjoy these games – and that's twice he had admitted that to himself today, a rare thing! – he knew he could be doing loads of other things with his time.

Like homework, for one. Unlike previous years, it seemed that whenever they finished one assignment, another was waiting in the wings. He had several half-completed works that he should be getting on top of, but... he just didn't have it in him.

Or he could just listen to some music, something he took pleasure in. Perhaps his only hobby in the world – if it could really be called that – before getting roped into playing _eroge_ was listening to popular music. Hours of his life had been blown simply lazing around while he drowned in the beautiful sounds of various recording artists. He had a particular like for western songs. Funnily enough, it was one of the reasons why English was perhaps his best subject and the only time he truly excelled at anything school related, scoring amongst the highest in his grade. He liked to understand what he was listening too, after all.

He could go visit some friends, but then... truth be told, he didn't have very many. He had already seen Manami this morning and other than her, there really was no one else. He had a few acquaintances at school – namely a classmate called Akagi – but that's all they were. When he had mentioned to Kuroneko that he considered her a friend, he hadn't been joking. After Manami, there really was only her and Saori.

It was pretty sad.

He was contemplating expanding his horizons when a soft 'ding' broke him from his thoughts, the bar on the laptop screen reading one hundred percent. Loading the game, he couldn't help but chuckle nervously at the cute girl that appeared, urging him to click 'start' while calling him _onii-chan_, nor could he help the brief burst of excitement that bloomed inside at the sight. Briefly, Kirino's face flashed before him and her voice filled his head.

_Thank you, Aniki..._

He swore as he banged his knee against the underside of his desk, an odd expression crossing his face – game momentarily forgotten.

_What the hell was that!_

Unfortunately for Kyousuke, this was only the beginning. The littlest things often make the biggest impact.


	2. Chapter 2

As usual for the Kousaka residence, dinner was a quiet affair.

The sound of chopsticks clinking against bowls and the evening news filled the void, creating a semi-relaxed atmosphere as the family of four consumed their meal in silence. Kyousuke swallowed his current mouthful and gazed at the television listlessly, barely comprehending the journalist and their story about the recent economic slump. The reason for his rather zoned-out mood was fairly simple, yet completely complicated.

Lost yet? He definitely was.

It had been a few weeks since he walked Kuroneko home and had started playing _Extreme Little Sister Love _at the insistence of his sister. Incidentally, said game was what had the young high-school student so distracted in the first place – or rather, what the game had invoked.

Glancing out the corner of his eye, he spied Kirino lifting a small portion of meat to her mouth. He watched oddly detached as her soft lips enveloped the morsel, a small eternity in his addled brain. She chewed slowly – almost thoughtfully – her nose wrinkling cutely as she tested the new dish their mother had prepared, something Kyousuke was eternally grateful for as he was sick of his mother's staple dish of curry. Finding it to her liking, she gathered another piece and repeated the action, lightly licking the ends of her chopsticks to collect the gathered sauce.

_Thank you, Aniki..._

He returned his attention to the news, glaring a hole through the flat screen.

He didn't doubt the importance of those words in their relationship. As far back as he could recall she had never called him such a thing – at least, never seriously. She _did_ pull a rather cruel prank-slash-joke on him after helping her patch things up with her best friend, but she had never looked at him with genuine kind eyes and uttered anything even resembling it otherwise. It _was_ a big thing, for him and for her. The way their relationship was structured, it was a monumental moment.

But was one cute expression and utterance really enough to completely screw with his brain to this extent?

Apparently it was.

Ever since he had booted up that damnable game, that phrase had repeated itself so many times in his head that he was ready to scream. He wasn't even sure what triggered it, as he had gone almost two months without even thinking about it other than a handful of times. Then all of a sudden, out of no where...

_Thank you, Aniki..._

He clenched his jaw, still glaring at the television.

"Kyousuke?"

He blinked. "Huh?"

Turning, he faced his mother who was giving him a concerned look.

"Are you okay?"

He turned back towards the screen, rather surprised she had asked. "Yeah, I'm fine."

He noticed Kirino looking his way and it took every single piece of his willpower not to glance in her direction. Her gaze was uncomfortable, manifesting in a hot flush against his skin. Quickly finishing his dinner with a few sloppy mouthfuls, he announced his thank you and gathered his dishes. Stacking them in the kitchen by the sink, he hurriedly left the room – aware of his sister's eyes following his every movement. Racing up the stairs, he closed his bedroom door with a soft thump, exhaling loudly as he trudged over to his bed where he flopped down on the mattress unceremoniously.

Flinging an arm across his eyes, he lay unmoving – trying to put everything out of mind. He just needed to relax, he reasoned calmly, since he hadn't seen sleeping well lately. A good session of shut eye would do him some good. Despite being quite restless, exhaustion claimed him and he was fast asleep within seconds.

"What's wrong with you?"

With a jolt, he rolled off his bed, colliding with the floor heavily. Grunting, Kyousuke stared stupidly at the ceiling for a moment in an attempt to figure out what was going on.

"Well?"

Turning his head, he gazed into the large, round eyes of his little sister's strange green slippers – _what the hell are they, anyway? Whales?_ – before he shifted his focus upward, unintentionally catching sight of something he really shouldn't have. He bit his lip, almost having a heart attack as he glimpsed soft cotton. Pink cotton.

_Why the hell is she wearing such a short skirt! Don't stand over me, idiot!_

Mind momentarily filled with incoherent screaming, he muttered, "What?"

Kirino glared down at him, as if he were a bug she was about to step on; a particularly disgusting bug. "What's wrong with you? You've been acting strange lately and it's really annoying."

Gaining some sort of control over his body, he shot a look at his clock.

_10:32_

"Crap," he swore, getting to his feet. He was disappointed that he had only gained a few hours of rest in the end.

"Oi!" Kirino snapped, stamping her foot. "Don't ignore me!"

Hoping to avoid violence upon his person, he sighed rather tiredly while replying, "Nothing is wrong, okay? I'm just... stressed about school work."

It sounded rather convincing to his ears. She stared at him, trying to figure out if he was telling the truth or not. A few moments ticked by, Kyousuke grinned nervously at the intense scrutiny, unsure why the lithe girl even _cared_. Their father was a policeman and it was obvious where the young girl had copied that look from. He felt pinned down under her relentless glare.

"Would you quit staring at me?" he muttered, uncomfortable. He shuffled over to his desk and seated himself roughly on his office chair, doing his best to ignore his sister and her unnerving eyes. Rubbing his neck awkwardly, he reached for the small pink laptop before pausing.

_What am I doing? _he wondered, somewhat perplexed. _Now isn't the time for-_

"Oh, are you going to start playing?" Kirino asked, her suspicions about his mood forgotten for the time being. Nonetheless, a feeling of dread washed over Kyousuke. "I'm watching."

_...crap._

"S-Shouldn't you go to bed? It's kinda late," he tried. The look she gave him told him everything he needed to know. "Fine."

Lifting the lid and exposing the screen, they were met with rolling green hills and bright, clear sky. He fumbled with the wireless mouse a bit and _Extreme Little Sister Love _appeared, ready for use. Kyousuke couldn't help but tense as he felt Kirino place one of her hands on the backrest, leaning over his shoulder curiously. He nearly jumped out of his chair when a lock of her hair brushed against his cheek, tickling his skin.

"How far have you gotten?" she asked, watching closely as he brought up his saved game. "You really should have finished by now," she then grumbled. Upon seeing his pitiful progress, she tsked. "What the hell? You're hopeless!"

"Schoolwork," he reminded her, lying through his teeth. Even though school was getting tough, it was kind of hard to play when he kept seeing Kirino in place of the two dimensional girl in the game, whispering those god damn words over and over until he got a headache.

"Why don't you just get _Neighbour-girl_ to do it?" she needled, the way she stressed her annoying nickname for his childhood friend pissing Kyousuke off.

"Stop calling her that," he snapped, booting up his save. He barely read the dialogue on screen before left-clicking, bringing up a new set of words. "How many times do I have to tell yo-"

"Yeah, yeah," she interrupted. "Whatever."

"You're such a brat,"

"_Siscon_."

Kyousuke flinched but didn't say anything after that, methodically clicking the mouse as he played. Beside him, Kirino huffed angrily but continued watching nonetheless. The silence lasted until the game-world faded from view, two questions appearing on the slim monitor.

_Help her._

_Ignore her._

The questions referred to the scene that had been playing out before hand. The in-game little sister was reaching for something on the upper shelves in the kitchen but couldn't quite reach, even with the help of a footstool. As was popular with these types of games, she was wearing nothing but a slightly long t-shirt, said garment riding perversely high as she attempted to grab whatever it was that she wanted. Peaking out under the shirt was a pair of light-blue panties, hugging the girl's slim hips and full bottom tight.

The girl was in high-school at the very least, being only one year younger than the protagonist who happened to be seventeen. She was one of the many possible sisters you could pursue during the course of the game, five in total.

Without thinking, he chose number one.

"...You're getting better at this..."

Kyousuke blinked, surprised. They had both been quiet so long he had nearly forgotten he wasn't alone. For some reason, he felt like he had dodged a bullet with his quick and effortless response. Just thinking about picking option two with Kirino around...

He turned, taking in his sister's happy expression. She was watching the scene that was playing out on the laptop, a rare smile gracing her features in his presence. Feeling oddly happy himself, he returned to the game.

It was a long night.

OoOoO

"Halloween party?" Kyousuke repeated, cell-phone held to his ear by his raised shoulder. He was juggling his school bag and house keys while he fumbled with the front door. Anyone watching would probably mistake him for a burglar, with how much effort he was exerting.

"That's right," a somewhat boisterous voice answered him, belonging to Makishima Saori, one of Kirino's friends and creator of the _Otaku Girls Unite! _online community. Like always, she was full of energy. "We'd love for you to come, Kyousuke-_sama_."

He grunted at her playful teasing, finally unlocking the door. Entering the foyer, he called out his customary greeting. Like normal, he received no answer – as was expected. If the door was locked, then no body was home.

"We?" he asked, pocketing his keys so he could hold his mobile properly. Kicking off his shoes, he placed them in the shoe rack and slipped on his plain slippers. "You mean Kuroneko?"

"Of course," she answered, before adding slyly. "Since its Halloween, it will be a costume party."

He paused, now in the kitchen. The fridge was open, his now bag-free hand reaching for the two litre carton of barley tea in the door. "Costume... party?"

Saori's small laugh did nothing to relieve his sudden bout of nervousness. "It's the perfect time of year for cosplay, after all. It'll be fun."

_For who?_ he thought.

"I don't know," he started, pouring himself a drink. "I wouldn't even know what to wear."

"Not to worry," for some reason, those words had the opposite affect. "Kuroneko has something prepared for you already. You won't let her down, will you?"

When she put it like that, Kyousuke found himself trapped. "Well... okay." Taking a sip of his tea, he leaned against the counter. "Is Kirino going?"

"I sent her a message but she hasn't replied yet. Is she home?"

Kyousuke was about to answer when he heard the front door open, followed by the sound of his sister's voice. "I'm home!"

"I guess you heard that?" he deadpanned, drawing an amused titter from Saori. "I'll text you her answer, yeah?"

Exchanging goodbyes, the raven haired youth snapped his phone closed just as Kirino entered the room. It didn't take her long to spot him, casually drinking his chilled tea. The content expression on her face dropped at the sight of him, a scowl replacing it.

"Oh, it's you."

He felt a twinge of annoyance at that, but like he did most of the time, he ignored it. Such hostile greetings had been less common lately, but they still popped up from time to time. He noticed she looked particularly sour today, though.

"What's wrong wit-"

He stopped, staring in surprise at the girl who followed Kirino into the room. If he thought Kirino looked sour, this one looked downright appalled he would dare to even breathe the same air as her. It hadn't always been that way... but that was life.

Or his life, anyway.

Unable to think of a proper greeting that _wouldn't_ get him scolded or worst case scenario _slapped_, he didn't bother. Instead, he turned and placed his now empty glass in the sink. Intending to leave the room and escape the dangerous environment he had suddenly found himself in, he couldn't help but frown as the pretty girl – known as Aragaki Ayase, Kirino's best friend – purposely kept a full two meters between them as he passed, pulling his sister back with every step he took.

"Stay back, _hentai!_"

Despite being a beautiful girl – his eyes lingered on her shimmering black hair and developing figure, clad in the latest fashion – she really could be quite cruel. He wanted to say something – anything – but again, he drew a blank. Retrieving his bag from the floor, he left the room without a word, unaware of the weird looks he received from both teens. He was climbing the staircase when he heard the muffled voice of Ayase ask, "...is _Onii-san_ okay?"

She sounded confused. He waited a few moments for Kirino's reply but he heard nothing more. She either didn't answer or it wasn't loud enough to carry.

The rest of the afternoon was spent doing homework – _finally_ – and fighting the growing urge to play _eroge_. Surprisingly, he breezed through his math and science work without much trouble while fairing only a little worse in history. He credited this to his frequent study sessions with Manami. His mother arrived home first, announcing her presence clearly. He heard Kirino and Ayase come up stairs and then go back down again at some point but didn't take much more notice than that. His English assignment was left for last and by far the quickest to complete, translating several mundane sentences with ease and identifying in red pen where common mistakes were made.

His last pen stroke had just been completed when he heard his father return. He briefly took note of the time and realised it was time for dinner. In the Kousaka household, dinner wasn't announced. It was held every night at seven and it was your choice if you showed up or not. Just don't expect leftovers if you don't.

Stretching his stiff limbs, he wandered over to his wardrobe and quickly removed his school uniform, dressing himself in a pair of old track pants and a blue sweater. Carrying his dirty laundry down to the washhouse, he entered the living room and stopped cold in the doorway. He had been expecting three people to be seated at the table. Instead, he got four – an extra chair having been placed on the outside, closest to Kirino and his father.

It was occupied by none other than Ayase.

_...w-why hasn't she gone home yet?_

Regaining control of his motor functions, he quickly seated himself with jerky movements. Ayase took that moment to smile at him happily and greet him, even adding in a little seated bow, "Hello _onii-san_, it's been a while."

_...what..._

Kyousake stared at the girl blankly.

"Oh?" his mother began. "You two know each other?"

Kirino was ignoring what was going on entirely, the same with his father. Kyousuke's eye twitched as the young model shot him another cheerful smile while she replied, "_Onii-san_ helped me with a problem I had awhile back. He was really helpful."

_Is she bi-polar! _he screamed internally. Normally, he'd be over the moon that she would even smile in his direction, but this was just too weird. For the moment, his small crush on the girl was put on hold.

"Really?" the surprise in his mother's voice was audible. If he hadn't been so confused, he might have been hurt by her tone. Maybe. "That doesn't sound like Kyousuke."

_Thanks, mom._

He gave his mother an irritated look which she returned with a cheeky grin. Huffing, he started eating his serving of rice and what looked like barbequed pork.

"Thank you for letting me stay the night, Mrs. Kousaka. I didn't want to impose."

"Nonsense. You are welcome here any time, Ayase."

Dinner resumed its normal silent atmosphere for awhile after that, the news report on television creating a pleasant haze in the absence of any talking.

Of course, it didn't last.

The two teen girls began talking about their modelling job as they slowly picked at their food. Kyousuke listened, annoyed when he spied his father trying to hide his interest in the subject, harsh expression softening a bit. Kirino and Ayase didn't notice, but he was pretty sure his mother did, with how she was smirking knowingly behind her hand. He felt a wave of bitterness wash over him – something he thought he had locked away, in the deepest corner of his mind – before he shoved it aside ruthlessly.

But jealousy was often difficult to overcome.

And who wouldn't be jealous? Honour student with incredible grades, star athlete, amazingly beautiful with a well paying job as a model, his mother and fathers pride and joy... everything he was _not_.

He slumped in his chair, glaring at his rice. His feeling of accomplishment at having finished all his remaining school work was long gone, now he just felt depressed.

A flare of pain startled him from his gloomy thoughts, his now throbbing leg the source. Turning towards Kirino angrily, he was ready to demand why she had kicked him when he noticed her odd expression. He paused, unsure as he gazed into the worried eyes of his younger sister.

_...worried? Nah, must be a trick of the light._

He looked away, uncomfortable.

The end of dinner couldn't come soon enough and as the minute Kyousuke finished, he had stacked his dirty dishes in the sink and was out the door with a hasty thank you for the meal. His abrupt departure wasn't exactly subtle but he didn't care. Rushing upstairs, he quickly gathered his pyjamas and a clean towel, foregoing the usual boxer shorts and t-shirt combination. Lately the nights had become rather cold, hence the change. In no time, he was back on the ground floor and in the bathroom, locking the door securely and shedding his clothes. It didn't take long for the bath to fill, steam billowing from the heated water and fogging up the nearby mirror. He let out a pleased groan as he lowered himself into the bath, tense muscles slowly loosening as the warmth of the water worked its magic.

_This is much better._

Dunking himself to wet his hair, he squirted a generous amount of shampoo into his hands and began to methodically lather his raven locks, face twisting in a grimace when he realised he had grabbed Kirino's by mistake, the strong lavender scent filling his nose. It wasn't unpleasant, exactly... but what guy used lavender shampoo? Then again, what guy played little sister porn games? He remembered a few nights ago, playing one such game while his sister watched into the early hours of the morning...

...she had smelled of perfume, something sweet and not at all overpowering. But there had been another smell, underneath it. He recalled trying to figure it out but to no avail.

He absentmindedly read the label of the bottle he set down on the small shelf.

_Good god, man! What the hell are you thinking about?_

"...there is something seriously wrong with me." he said to himself finally before rinsing his hair with another quick dunk, shaking the water out of his eyes as he reached for the soap.

"Kirino? What are yo-"

"Ahh-!"

Kyousuke jumped when something heavy thumped against the door, cursing when he dropped the soap in his fright.

"M-Mom! I was just-"

"Oh... I see."

"Moooom!"

Kyousuke stared at the door.

_What the hell? Was she standing outside the door?_

Gathering the soap from the murky depths, he dedicated the next ten minutes to scrubbing himself clean while trying to forget just how odd his family could be. Satisfied with his efforts, he carefully got out of the tub and drained the water, dried himself thoroughly and dressed in his night clothes. Brushing his teeth, he rested the towel around his neck as he exited the bathroom and made for the stairs. It wasn't until he was half-way that he realised someone was at the top, watching him.

Kyousuke stopped, looking up at Ayase nervously. She was clutching a towel to her chest, along with an assortment of clothes as she gazed down at him with an odd expression on her face, cheeks lightly flushed. Obviously, she was heading down to use the bath. Believing her to be angry at his sudden appearance, he shuffled as close to the wall as possible and slid past the still staring girl. For some reason, she was fixated on his damp, messy hair – so unlike it's usual up kept nature, it was mussed beyond recognition.

"Yo," he greeted.

Expecting some sort of verbal abuse but not receiving any, he nearly bolted for his bedroom, almost slamming the door in the process.

_God, that was awkward..._

"What did you hear?"

"Gah!"

Kyousuke clutched his chest as his heart attempted to burst from his ribcage. Kirino stood before him, frowning.

"What are you doing in my room?" he demanded hotly.

"That isn't important," she returned casually. "What did you hear?"

Kyousuke tilted his head, idly scratching at his cheek. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't try acting dumb!" she snapped, storming into his personal space and thrusting a finger at him. "It wasn't what you think!"

_...is she talking about mom catching her outside the bathroom door? Just what __**was**__ she doing, anyway?_

But he didn't dare ask about it, biting his tongue. He knew he'd be in for a lashing if he did. From the looks of it, he already was and he hadn't done a thing. Sighing tiredly, he decided to take the safe course of action.

He played dumb.

"What was I supposed to hear?" he asked, giving her an inquisitive look. "Now you've got me curious."

She mimicked a fish for a moment, mouth opening and closing as she attempted some form of communication. Without meaning to, he thought she looked rather cute.

"Y-You really didn't hear anything?" she finally said, sounding close to pleading. "Really really?"

"I honestly have no idea what you are talking about."

They stared at each other in silence.

"Well, I'm going to bed," he informed her. "We've got school in the morning. I'm surprised dad let Ayase stay the night, considering."

Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say.

"Urgh, you are so gross!"

Her random scolding caught him completely off guard. "Uh... what?"

"You're thinking about her in the bath, aren't you? Why do I have such a disgusting brother?"

"I am not!"

Kyousuke scowled, before he looked mildly thoughtful. He _hadn't_ been thinking such things, but now that she brought it up...

"Eww," Kirino shuddered. "That look on your face, I can practically see the _ero_-thoughts! Yuck!"

"You're the one that brought it up in the first place!" he returned. "How the hell did you come up with that, anyway? Stop putting things in people's minds!"

"So you _are_ thinking about it!"

He palmed his face. "Just hurry up and get out. I'm tired."

Kyousuke grunted as she shouldered him out of the way, yanking open the door with more force than was necessary. "If I catch you peeking on us as we sleep, I'll kill you."

"Tch, like I would."

Poking her tongue at him childishly, she left, pulling the door closed behind her.

_Such a brat._

Walking towards his bed, he pulled the pull-string for his light three times, plunging the room in darkness. Throwing his towel in the corner of the room, he collapsed on the bed, half-heartedly pulling the blankets around him.

_I'm sure I'm forgetting something..._

He was asleep in seconds.


	3. Chapter 3

"Bye Kyou-chan!"

"Later."

Giving a final wave to his childhood friend, Kyousuke closed the door firmly and set off at a sedate pace. Inhaling the early morning air, he idly inspected the various decorations as he passed by the front entrance of the Tamura Sweet Shop, the store ready for the coming Halloween festival they were hosting. Having spent the majority of the previous day setting up said decorations and having stayed the night at Manami's while testing the unique sweets created for the special occasion, he knew without doubt that it would be a booming success.

The children would especially love it.

Halloween wasn't a native holiday of Japan and wasn't celebrated as feverously as in other countries, but its popularity had been steadily increasing as the years went by. This was largely due to the increase in foreigners now calling Japan home and the increasingly tolerant youth of the current generation. That wasn't to say that only the younger generation was accepting of such things, nor that every young person thought the same way. Kyousuke knew that his homeland was largely xenophobic.

Personally, he didn't care either way. He knew that as a child, he'd have relished to chance to dress up and consume inappropriate amounts of sweets. That was enough to support the holiday in his book, foreign or not.

Today was the thirty-first and this year it happened to fall on the weekend. This evening, he was accompanying Kuroneko and Saori to a costume party in Akihabara. He was utterly terrified, as he had absolutely no idea what the small gothic _otaku_ had in store for him. It felt like he was walking to his doom and willingly at that. Would people attend his funeral?

_Better not think about it..._

Giving a brief yawn and shake of the head to dispel his increasingly crazy thoughts, he enjoyed the gentle breeze that washed over him as he walked. The street he was on was mostly deserted, only one other person in sight. It was serene, peaceful...

...the calm before the storm.

Ever since finding out that he would be going to a party with her anime friends without her, Kirino had been in a foul mood. Due to a malfunctioning cell phone and Kyousuke's forgetfulness, her invite had been delivered much too late. Kirino had plans with Ayase and wouldn't be attending because of it. Now _that_ hadn't been a very pleasant conversation. It had been more like facing down a fire breathing dragon.

He had expected annoyance at his lapse in memory, maybe a bit of anger – not the furious rage he had encountered instead. He just didn't understand that girl. She said it was because she didn't want him contaminating her friends – even if it was more likely that they would rub off on him, not the other way around – but he got the feeling that she wasn't telling the truth. Not entirely, anyway.

But what could he do? What's done is done. He had agreed to go and that was all there was to it.

Even if it happened to piss his sister off something rotten.

It didn't take long for the raven-haired teen to arrive home, calling out his customary greeting as he entered his home. His mother replied from the kitchen with her own greeting and after removing his shoes, he poked his head through the door to see what was going on. Seeing that she was in the process of making breakfast, he retreated after a brief exchange of words and made for the stairs.

"Dad," he acknowledged, passing by the large form of his father who had just left the bathroom. He received a nod and a welcoming grunt from the muscular man.

It wasn't until he got upstairs that he encountered any trouble.

"Kiri... uh," he fumbled over his words, confronted outside his bedroom door by none other than his sister. She had just left her own room and upon seeing him had adopted a look of extreme anger. He didn't think it had been possible, but she looked even more ticked off than she had the last time he had seen her. He took an involuntary step back as she fixed him with a glare of barely restrained fury. "H-Hey Kirino."

Kirino said nothing, attempting to burn a hole through his face with her eyes.

"W-What are you looking at me like that for?" he asked, trying to inch towards his door – and safety.

"Idiot," she growled under her breathe. "Idiot, idiot, idiot."

"Wha-"

The petite girl stormed by, roughly elbowing him in the side for good measure. He winced at the blow and cradled his ribs, watching the brown-haired teen stomp down the stairs like a rampaging beast. He loitered outside his bedroom for a few moments, unsure.

_Let her go._

_Go after her._

As was becoming disturbingly regular for him, he visualized his possible course of action as if he were inside an _eroge_. If that wasn't a sign that he was playing the games too much to be healthy, he didn't know what was. Giving a drawn out sigh, he shuffled towards the stairs and followed her down, slipping into the living room silently. She was sitting at the table, arms crossed and glaring at the wall. Their mother was still preparing breakfast while his father was seated on the couch, reading the morning paper.

Now that he had gone after her, he didn't even know what to do. He couldn't ask her in front of their parents, so instead he passed by the table and made a beeline for the fridge. Kirino gave a startled jump at his sudden appearance, narrow eyes tracking his movements as he pulled out his favourite drink and poured himself a glass.

"I thought you were going to rest for a bit," his mother commented, checking on the rice.

"Changed my mind," he answered blandly, downing the first glass in one gulp and pouring himself another. Shaking the empty carton, he continued. "We need some more."

"Well, if you didn't drink so much of the stuff, maybe it would last," she chided semi-seriously, shooting him a mock glare. "I swear you could live on the stuff."

He chuckled, placing the now empty container in the bin. He then went and seated himself next to Kirino at the table, ignoring her moody huff. Sipping at his barley tea, he watched the morning news with a rather bored air. This lasted approximately fifty-four seconds. Let it be said that Kirino couldn't stand being ignored, something Kyousuke exploited masterfully.

"What are you doing home, idiot," Kirino whispered harshly. "It was better here without you. Go back to Neighbour-girl's house."

"Don't call her that," he murmured back on reflex. He really hated that nickname. "What's your problem?"

"Tch, you two are so gross. It makes me sick."

_...is that why she is so angry? Because I stayed at Manami's? Or because I came home?_

"Why do you care who I hang out with?" he asked, finally facing her. "It's none of your business."

He shifted nervously when he saw her knuckles tighten and turn white, perfectly manicured nails digging into her pink cardigans woollen long sleeves.

"And then you set up secret plans with _my_ friends behind my back," she said, ignoring his question.

"Saori asked me, okay?" he defended. "And she asked you. How was she supposed to know that your phone was playing up?"

"_You_ were supposed to ask me," Kirino accused heatedly, trying hard not to shout and keep her voice no louder than a whisper. "I bet you didn't forget, did you? You just didn't want me around so you could molest my friends."

Now that really pissed him off. "I did ask you, it's not my fault that you had already made pla-Psh, whatever." he turned away, frowning. "That's the last time I worry about you. I just get my head chewed off for trying to find out what's wrong."

Her expected counter never came, causing the young man to turn back towards her. Kirino stared at him, eyes wide. She no longer looked like a furious harpy, but a small doe caught in headlights.

"What?" he asked, her sudden change in attitude catching him off balance.

Not receiving an answer, he faced the television once more – before giving a start, eyes tracing back to his father. The man still had the newspaper open, yet he was peering at the pair of them over the top, as if trying to work out a complicated puzzle. When he noticed Kyousuke looking his way, he casually returned his eyes to the paper.

_Uh..._

Feeling somewhat worried, he peered out the corner of his eye. His mother was still in the kitchen, tending to the food – yet every so often, she'd subtly glace in his direction, a contemplative expression on her face. And he wasn't the only one she was looking at, he realised quickly. Kirino was subject to the same scrutiny, which was unusual to say the least.

Eyes darting back to his father, then back to his mother, he frowned.

_Why do I have such a bad feeling...?_

OoOoO

"Where the hell are they?" Kyousuke muttered, slouched on one of the many benches that could be found inside Akihabara Train Station. Dressed casually – like always – and with a rather deadpan expression, he was ignored completely by the waves of people that entered and exited trains left, right and centre. Watching the organized chaos had given the young man a mild headache after awhile, so he had taken to staring at the ceiling for extended periods of time, head bent back and resting against the backrest.

But he was terribly bored and his patience was starting to wear a little thin.

"They said to meet them here at seven," he complained to himself. Luckily, since no one was acknowledging him, he had no fear of being labelled insane. It was the first sign of madness, they say – talking to yourself. Kyousuke did it a lot. "It's near eight now."

Just to confirm this fact, he lifted his left arm and glanced at his wristwatch. It was ten to eight. He'd been waiting since quarter to seven, over an hour.

He contemplated ringing Saori – something he probably should have done sooner, a lot sooner – but was startled from his thoughts by the last person he expected. He blinked in surprise, staring at the upside down form of...

"You!"

"Uh..." Kyousuke squinted, remaining as he was. "What was your name again?"

"Tch, I should be relieved that Kirino's _hentai_ brother doesn't remember me," the girl commented, crossing her arms. "But for some reason, it just pisses me off."

Kyousuke hummed, taking in the young girl's appearance. Denim mini-skirt with red trim, she wore a matching jacket over the top of a pure black shirt that looked a little tight. Red and black coloured stripped socks encased the lower portion of her slim legs, a pair of dark trainers complimenting them nicely. Brown twin-tails bobbed up and down as she approached; a black studded choker and matching leather straps on her wrists completing the outfit. She was pretty cute, in a dangerous sort of way.

"Oh, that's right. Ayase-san said your name was Kanako."

"Don't use my name so familiarly," she growled. "It's gross."

Kyousuke rolled his eyes, finally sitting up properly and turning to face his sister's friend. Looking at her upside down had become dizzying.

"I didn't expect to find you in the place like this," he said.

"Oh?" she snorted mockingly. "Think you know me, do you?"

"Whatever. I won't tell anyone you're an _otaku_, don't worry."

She spluttered at his words, losing her composure. "W-What? A-As if, you idiot! Hah! I'm nothing like you."

He shrugged, not bothering to correct her – though did he really even have too? He was pretty sure he qualified as being one now. Or if not, he was pretty damn close.

Kirino's fault, of course.

"So what are you doing here, then?" he asked, surprised when she took a seat next to him. While she made sure to leave a large amount of space between the pair of them, he hadn't been expecting the move. He thought she'd be trying to leave as fast as possible. Their first meeting hadn't gone very well and he couldn't really blame the girl for thinking he was a pervert. She _had_ caught him kneeling over the dishevelled form of his sister, after all, his hand on her br-

_Don't think about that! _his mind screamed.

"I don't know if I should tell you," Kanako replied, giving him a shrewd look. "I'd rather not have a stalker until I hit it big."

"Who are you calling a stalker!" he snapped, before catching on to the rest of her sentence. "Hit it big? Like an idol or something?"

"That's right," she proclaimed smugly, giving him a look he was intimately familiar with; one of superiority. "You can see it now, can't you? Even someone as lowly as you can see the unlimited potential I hold."

"What was that?" Kyousuke returned, looking away in a disinterested manner. "All I see is a brat."

The young idol-hopeful gave a rather impressive growl, prompting Kyousuke to shuffle down the bench a little further. He didn't feel like being mauled. Kanako looked fully capable of doing such a thing.

"So you're here for auditions or something?"

Kanako nodded, calming herself with a huff. "Yeah. They are holding a singing contest and I'm going to win."

Kyousuke chuckled. "At least you don't lack confidence."

"Why would I?" Kanako twirled one of her twin-tails playfully. "I'm just that good."

Strangely, Kyousuke found himself enjoying the girls company despite her arrogant demeanour. He was finding out quickly that she was a very different person than he originally thought, much more different than her friends than he had expected. Kirino was a confident girl and wasn't shy about showing it but Kanako took it to the next level. Ayase was almost timid in comparison, which was laughable, really – he knew she wasn't afraid to speak her mind. And while all three girls were obviously out going, once again Kanako seemed to take it that step further. There was no hesitation in her actions, in her speech as the two spoke. They barely knew one another and yet they traded words like old acquaintances.

His first conversation with Ayase had been markedly different. Now that he thought back on it without his libido tripping all over itself, the girl had been pretty shy. It made her all the cuter, truth be told.

Kirino had been even worse when she met with the _Otaku Girls United! _community group. Normally so sure of herself, she had become subdued when removed from her comfort zone.

Kanako didn't seem to have that problem.

"So where are you performing?" he inquired, genuinely curious. "Maybe I'll stop by."

"W-What?"

His words had stunned her somewhat.

"I have something I'm here for," he explained. "But I'm sure I could get away for a few minutes."

"S-So you are a stalker!" she whispered, shivering as she hugged herself tightly.

Kyousuke's eyebrow twitched. "I am not a st-"

He paused, seeing her smirk.

"Har har," he drawled, looking away. She snickered. "Very funny."

They sat in silence for a few moments.

"I'll be performing at the Halloween parade," she informed him, standing up. She looked away, hiding her face as she continued. "Come if you want, I don't care."

He was about to reply when the words 'Halloween parade' registered in his mind.

_Wait, what?_

"Ah, Kyousuke-san," a boisterous voice called from behind, causing the young man to jump. "Sorry for being late, but our train was delayed."

Kuroneko filled his vision first, carrying a gym bag and dressed in her regular cosplay outfit, followed by-

"Err," he mumbled, tilting his head. "Saori-san?"

He had been expecting her usual overblown _otaku_-themed outfit. What he got was completely different.

"Is that spandex?" he asked no one in particular, eyes lingering on her round hips and the swells of her impressive breasts. Indeed it was, the blue spandex suit covering her entire body, strategically placed metal plates – read _plastic _– scattered over the top, the plating a combination of red and white. Her hands were completely hidden by bulky gauntlets of the same colour scheme, as were her feet and head, a full-face helmet hiding her identity perfectly.

She looked like some sort of battle robot.

"How do you like my gundam suit?"

She did a quick twirl, cocking her hip suggestively.

"Uh," he spluttered, averting his eyes. Kuroneko frowned at their antics.

"Who was that girl you were talking too?" the goth asked softly, drawing his attention. He blinked, turning back to-

She was gone.

"Oh, uh, that was one of Kirino's friends from school," he revealed, seeing no reason to lie. "We just bumped into each other."

"Oh."

For some reason, that made him really nervous. "So, uh, is that my costume?"

Kuroneko nodded, lifting the gym bag and depositing it on his lap. He unzipped it and pulled the flaps apart, a bone white mask greeting him. He blinked, gazing down at the creepy smile and slit eyes that stared back at him, a yellow split-arrow painted down the centre the only colour that could be found. Underneath the mask were volumes of dark cloth and even a pair of shoes.

"Are you sure these will even fit?" he asked, only now realising that she couldn't possibly know his measurements...

"They will," was her confident reply.

...could she? Just thinking about it...

Kyousuke gave the pale girl an odd look. She smirked back in response.

_Now that's just creepy._

Ten minutes later, he was in front of the mirror in the nearest public toilet. Mask in place, he looked imposing dressed in all black, a pair of dress pants and well polished shoes the only ordinary articles of clothing visible. His torso and was fully enclosed by a flowing cloak-slash-coat with a high collar, gold patterns embroidered on the inside.

He looked like Shikkoku, the main male character of the anime Maschera: Lamentation of the Fallen. As a matter of fact, he didn't just look like him – he had practically _become_ him, that's how close he resembled the fictional character. Turning to the side, he inspected the cloak, marvelling at the silky texture of the material. It was extremely comfortable.

Kuroneko nearly fainted when she saw him.

"You look great, Kyousuke-san!" Saori called as he joined them outside the station, climbing the last set of stairs. He parted the cloak as he scratching the back of his neck, revealing a tight vest underneath.

"Do you think so?"

"Definitely, definitely," she punctuated each word with a nod. It was difficult to tell where she was looking, as he could not see past the glassy eyes of her robot helmet. She then added with a giggle, "Kuroneko-shi is having trouble breathing."

Said girl flushed, turning away. "A-As if!"

He chuckled, joining the taller girl in her amusement.

"I see how it is," Kuroneko whispered embarrassingly, trying to recover. "The curse of the damned is not enough for the pair of you. Kukuku, my mind cries in glee at the challenge you have presented my dark impulses with."

The trio casually made their way down the street, blending in with the crowd. All around them, people were dressed in their own costumes – some much more elaborate than others – heading in the same direction. He remembered Kanako's words; that she would be performing at a parade. Saori had failed to mention that little fact; a parade was much bigger than a simple party, after all. He had a feeling that information had been withheld purposely for whatever reason.

Probably afraid that he'd say no if he had known.

She would have been right. The possibility of cameras being present...

At least he had a mask, he reasoned. His identity would remain a secret, as long as he kept it in place.

"There are a lot of foreigners around," he commented, observing them keenly. They too were dressed up, though in much more graphic ways. While his countrymen were dressed like anime characters, or like police officers or nurses – his eyes lingered on one such girl, her nurse blouse remarkably _full_ – the _gaijin_ were more dangerous looking; zombies, vampires, werewolves. It was a stark difference, seeing the two different cultures like that. "They are really into it."

It didn't take them long to arrive at their destination, drawn by the flashing bulbs of cameras and the hundreds of people lining the street. Not everyone was dressed up, some having come out just to witness the spectacle and not take part. Saori approached a makeshift booth that bad been set up, conversing with a rather plain looking man inside. He handed her three tags, which she then distributed between them.

"What's this for?" he asked, inspecting it.

"It's so we can walk in the parade," she explained. Kyousuke sighed, accepting his fate.

Much to his surprise, he ended up having a pretty good time. After the first few awkward moments, he really began to loosen up as he mingled with the other participants. Music played as they 'marched' down the street, waving to the gathered spectators and posing for photos when possible. Unconsciously, a huge grin spread across his face as he threw his arms around a pair of Maschera fans that wanted a photo with him. Normally such a thing would be an uncomfortable experience for him, yet with the mask in place and his identity a secret... he was truly having some great fun.

He ignored the dark look Kuroneko was shooting his way as the two girls hugged him on both sides while they giggled airily, spying Saori locked in combat with another gundam suit a few yards away.

He chuckled at the sight before continuing on his way with a polite goodbye. The tall girl was really getting into the spirit of things.

"Huhuhu," Kuroneko chuckled sinisterly, coming up beside him. She narrowed her crimson eyes, appearing quite malicious. "And so your true nature comes out! I fear for the girls of this world."

Kyousuke tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"Wandering hands," she replied. Kyousuke spluttered behind his mask.

"I have no such thing!" he denied venomously.

"These eyes are superior to that of humans. I saw everything."

"Well you're mistaken!"

Saori wandered over after her mock battle and they resumed walking, the curvaceous teen leading the way. Kyousuke spotted a large stage at the end of the street, a group of girls gathered behind an announcer. The man was calling out the girls names and assigning them all a number. He approached the gathered crowd and found a comfortable spot against a light post that he leaned against lazily. Sasori said something about food, prompting him to hand over some cash.

"My treat," Kyousuke explained, feeling unusually generous. He had a feeling she gave him a huge smile but he couldn't tell. Kuroneko joined him, eyes running over all the contestants.

"Isn't that the girl you were speaking with?" she asked, pointing at Kanako. While most of the girls looked nervous – some even scared stiff – Kanako looked calm as could be, an amused smirk directed at her fellow singers. Kyousuke nodded.

"Yeah, she said she was taking part. I wonder how good she is..."

Good didn't even begin to describe how skilled she was.

That wasn't to say the rest of the girls weren't good. The majority of them did really well – a few could even be regarded as talented. It was a pretty decent way to spend thirty minutes, listening to the idol-wannabes ply their trade.

Unfortunately for them, Kanako was in a class of her own.

From the first moment she opened her mouth, everyone in the audience was captivated by her impressive voice. Better than that, she moved with surprising grace, dancing to the beat of the music while she delivered a stellar performance. It was like she was a completely different person on stage; a massive smile lighting up her face, hitting highs and lows that showcased her incredible vocal range. Despite being a fan of music, Kyousuke was unfamiliar with the song – but he knew in his gut that she'd nailed it, and that he was now a fan.

Both of the song, and of Kanako.

"Woah," he whispered in shock, impressed. The crowd was going wild, dancing along. "She's amazing."

Kuroneko hummed but otherwise remained silent, a small frown gracing her features. Saori was back, a bag of takeaway hanging by her side.

"Kirino-shi has some talented friends," she commented. Kyousuke could detect a hint of awe in her voice as she said that.

"No kidding," he muttered, eyes following the small girl on stage.

Models and idols. What next? Sport star?

He thought about Kirino's skill in track and field.

_...well, if anyone could do it..._

Not that he'd ever tell her that.


	4. Chapter 4

"How many of my friends do you need to harass before you are satisfied?"

Kyousuke blinked, glass halfway raised to his mouth. "What?"

"First you make eyes at Ayase, and then you made plans with Kuroneko and Saori behind my back," Kirino accused while sprawled on the couch. "Now Kanako? What kind of deviant are you?"

It had been a few days since Halloween and things had been relatively normal. Saori had really enjoyed herself at the parade and mentioned that they should go out more often, to which Kuroneko had agreed – in her usual standoff-ish way, of course. Kirino had been avoiding him since their little exchange of words, so he wasn't sure if the tall girl had passed on that particular memo. School had dominated much of his time since then, what with his study sessions with Manami and all, and what little of it he could spare was spent playing _eroge_.

With Kirino ignoring him, it had definitely made his days much quieter – but it looked like that was coming to an end. Truth be told, he couldn't explain the strange smile he wore at the thought.

It had only been three days, but...

...he'd missed her.

Not that he'd ever admit that to her. Or even to himself. Ever. Maybe.

"Why are you so angry?" he asked, seating himself at the dining table. She huffed in annoyance.

"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about," she shifted, hugging her knees to her chest while resting her head on top. She glared at him, missing the way his eyes involuntarily traced the smooth skin and supple muscle of her legs. "She told me all about bumping into you and how you hit on her. _Hentai_."

Kyousuke sighed, finishing his drink. The dull thump of his glass meeting the hardwood table signalled he was ready to reply.

"It wasn't like that," he explained, turning so he was seated sideways, arm draped over the backrest casually. "Kuroneko and Saori-san were late. Kanako-san just happened to spot me waiting for them and we exchanged words, that's it."

"Oho, so you aren't even going to deny it?" she questioned, tightening her grip on her legs. "Tch, gross."

Kyousuke rolled his eyes. "Would you listen for once?"

"Stop flirting with my friends."

"I don't flir-Urgh, whatever."

A tense silence filled the room.

It was then that he noticed the mess on the coffee table. Piles of paper were scattered wildly over the surface, Kirino's neat writing visible even from where he sat and dominating the majority of the pages. A few books littered what little space there was, their subject unknown, while a cluster of pens bunched together by a hair tie perched precariously on the edge of the table. Erasers, pencils and various other writing tools made an appearance here and there, painting a picture of chaos.

It was like a bomb had gone off in an office supply store.

He then spied her pink laptop, resting innocently on the arm of the couch. How he hadn't noticed it before was anyone's guess. In recent times, it had taken up semi-permanent residence in Kyousuke's room, but the fact that it was here, now, with his sister...

_She's been in my room..._

He wanted to be angry, irritated, but he just sighed. It was _her_ laptop, after all.

He didn't know what to make of everything else, though.

"What are you up too?"

"Huh?"

Kyousuke pointed at the bombsite. "School?"

Kirino followed his finger. "Oh! No, it's..." she gave him a wary look.

Oblivious, Kyousuke pressed, "What is it?"

The young teen hummed, uncurling her legs and once more drawing an involuntary look. Again, she didn't notice. "I'm writing a novel."

"A novel?" he repeated, surprised. He had not been expecting that. Homework, sure; but there was no way his little sister could be a novelist... "I didn't know you wrote novels."

Kirino tensed and he thought he'd said something wrong, but then she relaxed and shot him a look of mild annoyance. "My last one has done pretty good, so I thought I'd try another one after a publisher showed some interest."

"Is there anything she can't do?" he muttered sourly, kicking himself for once again underestimating his little sister. Louder, he said, "What kind of novel was it?"

He really should have known better than to ask that. He felt like palming his forehead when the words 'little sisters' left her lips, but he really couldn't be bothered even doing that. The fact that she had written it using her cell phone, however, had been an eye opener.

"I didn't know phone novels existed," he admitted, wandering over. To be fair, he wasn't exactly in the know when it came to technology and the internet. He'd barely used a computer outside of school until Kirino had roped him into playing games. He was still discovering the wonders of the emergency escape key.

What a brilliant invention.

"Typical," she replied, shaking her head.

_Brat..._

He gestured at the mess that was Kirino's novel. "But if you use your phone, what's with all this?"

"Well... uh…" she mumbled, suddenly shy. He blinked, taken aback that she could be so cute. It didn't last. "This is how Kuroneko does hers, so I thought I'd give it a try."

"She writes as well?" he asked dumbly. He received a glare in return. "So, uh-what's this one about?"

This time he wasn't so dense and knew the incoming answer would involve sisters. He wasn't disappointed.

"I'm doing research," she added as he glanced over her notes. "I want it to feel as real as possible."

He nodded. That made sense.

Picking up one of the books, he realised it was an atlas. Idly flicking through the pages, he found the island of Japan circled in red marker – a list of locations written beside it. Akiba, Otome Road, Harajuku and Nakano Broadway...

His eye twitched.

"What's this?" he asked, pointing at the list of locations. Kirino beamed at him happily.

"After the end of the world, those are the only places left in Japan."

His whole face twitched at that.

_That's completely messed up!_

And it was, really. Every single location was involved in the world of _otaku_ in one way or another. Otome Road was the nickname of a street located in Ikebukuro that catered more towards female _otaku_ customers, while Harajuku – being a fashion capital of the world, or so he'd read – was a hotspot for cosplay artists to gather on a weekly basis, to mingle with others that frequented the area with their own unique fashion sense. Nakano Broadway was a building with several floors dedicated to anime and manga, as well as music, toys and various other goods; as well as arcades. Akiba – Akihabara – was, of course, the biggest hub for such things in all of Japan and everyone knew it.

"I see..." he said at last, frowning. The following words escaped his mouth before he could stop them. "Do you want some help?"

Kirino stared. Kyousuke stared.

With mounting horror, he slowly realised what he had just asked. His mouth opened and closed, yet all he could force out were a few spluttered breaths.

"Um," Kirino began, glancing away. "D-Do you really want to help?" she asked softly, unsure.

"Er..."

He nearly dropped the atlas when she turned back to him, looking at him through her eyelashes. A strangled 'yes' was her only answer.

_W-What am I doing!_

OoOoO

It wasn't until the later days of November that he did anymore than act as a soundboard for possible ideas. He found out early on that criticism was not acceptable; constructive or otherwise. Thus he remained silent during most of their brainstorming sessions – if they could be called that – just listening quietly as his little sister rambled on and on passionately about her novel. Sometimes he found it annoying, other times... he didn't mind so much.

_Extreme Little Sister Love_ was complete – more or less, since it wasn't a one hundred percent clear – so Kirino had moved him on to another game. He hadn't done much more than skim through one of the routes, but he was finding it enjoyable. They'd been out with Saori and Kuroneko a few times, generally just hanging out or visiting Akihabara. Kuroneko had been a little distant the last few times – more distant than usual, at any rate – and Kyousuke had been unable to determine why.

He'd asked Kirino about it one day and all he'd got was, "She's just jealous that you're helping me with my novel," accompanied by a smug smirk. He was pretty sure there was more to it than that, but he let it go.

But today was when the usual routine of study, play porn games and listen to Kirino rant about her book came to an end.

"We are going out tonight,"

Kyousuke nearly screamed, leaping from his desk chair in fright. Clutching his chest, he turned towards an amused Kirino. She was seated on his bed, legs crossed lazily as she leaned back on her elbows.

"Don't do that!" he scolded, not having heard her enter. What was she, a ninja? "Knock before entering, will you?"

"We are going out tonight," she repeated, ignoring his words.

"We are?" he asked dumbly, scratching his cheek. "Why?"

"Research," she explained, sitting up. "I've told mum and dad that I'm staying at Ayase's for the night. You'll have to do the same so they won't be suspicious when we are gone all night."

He thought of Ayase and himself, staying at her house, in her bedroom, sharing a bed – then ruthlessly banished that to the back of his mind before he could think of anything perverted. Then he caught on to what she just said.

"All night?" he sounded nervous and rightly so. Kirino nodded without a care in the world. He didn't bother asking for further details. "Okay."

"Wear something nice," was her parting remark, opening and closing his door with a soft click.

A few phone calls later and a conversation with his mother had his cover story sorted out. It took no more than ten minutes. He was then left with the decision of what to wear. She had told him to dress nice, after all.

With winter rapidly approaching, the temperature had only gotten colder as time wore on. It hadn't begun to snow yet, but he felt that any day now the first fall of the season would commence. With that in mind, he dressed appropriately; long black dress pants and matching shoes, followed by a navy blue turtle-neck that warmed him considerably. He debated whether or not he should take a jacket for a bit of extra protection and in the end decided too. You could never be too careful.

For reasons unknown, he slicked back his hair with water and gel. It was a rare occurrence that he used product in his hair – or even did more than brush it – so it was a very surprised Kirino that met him at the train station later that night. She stared in shock, looking undeniably cute in her black mini-skirt and leather jacket, a pink shirt contrasting well with the dark colours. She looked taller and he could see why, the knee-high boots she wore wielded impressive heels.

"What have you done to your hair?" she questioned, slightly dazed as she clutched a rather fashionable handbag to her chest. He shrugged, handing her a train ticket.

"Nothing much. Why? Is it bad?"

She took a few seconds to reply. "...no. It's... fine."

He nodded. "Well, mum and dad think I'm staying at Akagi's... he thinks I'm using him to go on a date with Manami..." he sighed at that.

Kirino frowned but didn't say anything, prompting Kyousuke to tilt his head in confusion. He was about to ask what was up when he was beaten to the punch by the train station loudspeaker, announcing the eminent arrival of their train. They boarded quickly when it come to a stop and found their seats without much hassle. Kyousuke couldn't help but notice the looks his sister was receiving from some of the other male occupants and tried to ignore them, suddenly feeling rather defensive.

"What's wrong?" Kirino asked, inspecting her nails casually. They were pretty, he could admit, pink and white with gold glitter.

"What do you mean?"

The brown haired girl rolled her eyes. "You look like you just sucked on a lemon."

Kyousuke turned away, attempting to smooth his features. He had been scowling. "I don't know what you're talking about."

An hour and a half later, Kyousuke found himself standing at a busy intersection. Kirino was by his side, standing unusually close as they were pressed on by the surrounding crowd waiting to cross the road. Glancing her way, he noticed she was playing with her phone.

"What are you doing?" he asked, slouching slightly with hands in pockets. Kirino ignored his question, holding her phone up like she was holding a camera.

"I want you to walk out and get hit by a car."

_...what?_

"...what?" he almost shouted, incensed.

"Actually, make it a dump truck."

He stared at her in disbelief, flinching at the casual way she asked such a thing. Didn't she care about him at all?

_...oh right._

He was about to snap at her when he remembered her notes and what they contained. One of the boyfriends had been run over... by a dump truck. It happened before the end of the world. Oh, he knew where this was going now.

"Why the hell would I do that?" he asked angrily, his new found insight doing nothing to calm him – nor halt his words. "I don't want to die!"

"How else can I experience the feeling of loss that Rino-chan feels when her boyfriend is taken from her?" she asked slowly, as if talking to a dim witted child. Rino-chan was the main character of the novel she was creating. "It's the only way I can accurately convey how she feels, so stop being useless and get out there."

He just stared at her with an incredulous look. Kirino sighed.

"Fine. Don't be so useless at the next spot, then." That said she took a quick snapshot of the speeding cars. "This will have to do for now. I'll just figure out how to do it with some pictures."

Kyousuke had never been so happy to see the traffic lights change in his life.

The next spot as Kirino called it happened to be a store called Cache-Cache. Kyousuke shifted awkwardly as she dragged him inside, spying several dozen couples milling about outside. The sight of so many people on dates made him uncomfortable for reasons he wasn't quite sure of. Another thing that worried him were the labelled prices he was able to catch sight of as she sister pulled him further and further into the store, which happened to be populated predominantly by females.

They weren't exactly small numbers.

From what he recalled, the boyfriend – whose name he never learned – was quite rich, the CEO of some company... or something like that. Or maybe he was the son of the CEO? Whatever the case, he was rich and if his memory wasn't playing tricks on him, he had been buying a gift when he'd been killed tragically by a truck. A gift for his girlfriend... or his sister? He knew his little sister played a big part, but he couldn't remember how.

Or had Rino-chan been the one buying something?

Maybe he should have paid more attention to Kirino than he had been. Thank god she hadn't asked him to repeat anything she said during those brainstorm sessions. He was confused.

Trying to play it safe, he cautiously asked, "What are we doing here?"

Kirino glared at him in response. Okay, maybe not so safe then. "Have you forgotten already? Tch, you are completely hopeless, you know that?"

Kyousuke sighed and took a stab in the dark. "You want me to buy you something like Kino-chan's boyfriend, right?"

Before he could comment further, she spun away, stuttering, "D-Don't s-say it like that, idiot!"

"A-Anyway," she continued, attempting to hide her flaming cheeks. "Here, buy me this!"

Blindly, she reached out and grabbed the first thing she could, thrusting it in Kyousuke's direction. He blinked, taking in the slim silver chain and small locket that dangled from her clenched fist. It was well made, the locket circular in nature with tiny engravings around the outer edges – vines, he realised, with small flowers – a small clasp on the side hinting at the possibility of it being able to open.

Taking it from Kirino, he pulled the sides apart and revealed two small picture frames inside.

He then saw the price and winced.

18,000 yen.

What were the chances that she picked something that cost the exact amount of money that he happened to have on him? Next to zero, he reckoned... yet she had done it anyway. Some higher power was mocking him, he reasoned, getting him back for something he did – he just didn't know _what_ he had done to piss it off. It sure hated his wallet, without a doubt.

"Do I really have to buy this?" he grumbled, closing the locket. She gave him a long look before sighing heavily, over her earlier embarrassment.

"You said you wanted to help, didn't you?"

"But how does this help?"

"Idiot!" she snapped. "I've already told you this! I'm trying to experience the same feelings as my characters so I can better portray them. Things like this," and here she gestured at the chain. "become emotional support in the future! Isn't that natural, if you receive it from the person you love?"

It took a few moments for the words to sink in. Kirino's eyes grew wide, nearly popping out of her skull as she quickly added, "I-I'm talking about the story in the novel, of course!"

Kyousuke started coughing, having momentarily stopped breathing.

_Of course she meant the novel,_ he berated himself, waving her off as he continued to hack up a lung.

Getting himself under control, he nodded. "Okay, fine. I'll buy it."

She opened her mouth, ready to berate him again when she registered what he'd said. A large, beaming smile was what he received. For some reason, he couldn't muster up any anger at the fact he was blowing the money he had been hoping to use on purchasing a new stereo. Not when she looked at him like _that_.

The cashier gave him a knowing smile as he paid for the necklace, something that he refused to acknowledge.

Handing Kirino the small gift bag he received, they left the store and slowly made their way down the street. Kyousuke watched as Kirino immediately reached inside and pulled out a slim rectangular box, prying the lid off and inspecting her new accessory. The smile from the store hadn't left her face.

"What are we doing now?" he asked after a few minutes of silence, drawing the brown-haired girl's attention.

Remembering the whole reason for the trip, Kirino pocketed the chain and discarded the box and bag in the nearest bin. "Right. Uh..."

Kyousuke gave her a flat look. "No idea?"

"O-Oi!" she shouted. "Of course I have an idea."

Apparently, that idea was more shopping. Kyousuke knew it was merely a cover up but stayed quiet – he didn't mind. He was now officially broke, so no more pain could be inflicted upon him in the form of impulse purchases. But after the fifth store and with the temperature dropping as the night wore on, he felt it was time to call it a day.

_Wait a minute... just where are we staying tonight?_

"Uh, Kirino – where are we staying ton-"

_Splash!_

"Huh?"

Kyousuke blinked, only now noticing he was standing alone and talking to himself. Spinning on his heel, he gaped at the sight of a drenched Kirino – a bucket falling from her trembling grasp and bouncing off the sidewalk with a loud thunk. People were looking on, curious and somewhat alarmed at the strange scene unfolding before them.

"Kirino, what the hell are you doing?" he yelled, storming up to her shivering form. She was hugging herself tight, eyes wide from the shock of cold water drenching a good portion of her body. "And where did you get that bucket of water? You'll catch a cold if yo-"

"I-It's how Rino-chan finds-" she began, but he cut her off, shrugging off his jacket and draping it over her shoulders before he even comprehended what he was doing. It was like he was running on auto-pilot, acting without thinking.

"Never mind that," he scolded, leaving the girl speechless. "Come on, enough about that novel for one day – we have to get you warm."

"Uh-wha-"

Kirino stared at him dumbly as he ushered her down the sidewalk. He didn't even stop once to think why he was so damn worried.

"There has to be a place around here somewhere," he uttered under his breath, checking the various stores.

"I-ah-I know a place," Kirino said softly. Kyousuke glanced at her briefly.

"Lead the way."

OoOoO

Kyousuke felt like hiding under a rock.

Or maybe it would be better if the earth opened up and swallowed him whole.

"How do I get myself in these situations..."

He shifted awkwardly on the double bed, eyes taking in the elaborate wallpaper and hardwood floor without emotion. The mattress was extremely comfortable and the room was spotless, almost unnaturally clean. A large flat-screen television dominated one wall, resting atop a cabinet that contained the latest blu-ray player while a small round table took up any remaining space not occupied by the bed. A digital clock on the bedside table read ten-thirty and he absolutely, positively refused to acknowledge the box of tissues that rested next to said clock. No, he just wouldn't – never, ever, ever... ever!

He was now thinking about the tissues.

"Urgh," he grunted, turning away – focusing on something else, anything else.

The sound of running water drew his attention inadvertently and before he knew it, he was staring at the outline of his sister behind the clouded glass door. His gaze lingered longer than was healthy.

_Why the hell didn't she close the other door as well?_

Forcing himself to look away, he glared at the wall stonily. He didn't notice when the water stopped flowing, nor did he notice the billowing steam that accompanied the opening of the glass door. It wasn't until the bathrobe-clad form of his sister strolled through his line of vision that he noticed she was no longer in the shower.

She was currently drying her hair.

"Ahh – that shower brought me back to life," she said, unaware that the front of her robe was somewhat loose. "This hotel's bathroom has some weird gadgets..."

Kyousuke choked.

_That's because it's a love hotel, you idiot!_

He viciously stomped on any potential perverted thoughts before they could begin.

"Hey, are you listening?" Kirino glared at him, wrapping her locks in the towel so it sat on her head. Kyousuke had resumed staring at the wall, anything to get his eyes off his sister.

"Yeah, yeah – I'm listening. I'm just tired..." and it was the truth. He felt worn out.

With a weary sigh, he flopped back on the bed with his eyes closed. He nearly jumped when he felt his sister sit down next to him and he couldn't help but inhale the smell of damp, recently soaped flesh.

"Um," Kirino began nervously, playing with her fingers. Kyousuke opened his eyes and peered up at her curiously.

"What is it?"

"I'm supposed to spend the night here with Shiori-chan," she explained hesitantly. Kyousuke was momentarily lost before he remembered that Rino-chan was based on Kirino herself, while Shiori-chan was the name of the little sister. But just where was she going with...

...oh.

OoOoO

**Moo Cow: **As you can see, this chapter was similar to what happened in canon with a few key changes – like the date, for one. I hope I was able to combine the novel version of Kirino's story and the anime's version without it coming out terrible – they were different, after all. What do you think?


	5. Chapter 5

"You've been acting strange lately, Kyou-chan."

"Huh?"

Seated at his desk, Kyousuke's face was buried in his arms. Shifting slightly, he glanced up at his best friend who was leaning over his miserable form. The concern on her face was as clear as day.

"What happened?" Manami inquired, a rare frown gracing her features. Her hands were clasped behind her back, brown book bag hanging easily as she shuffled forward, looming even further over his weary form like an overprotective hen. The classroom was a hive of activity as everyone packed their belongings away, cleaning the classroom before they could head home for the day. Being the end of the school week, their actions held a visibly excited air about them and it resulted in a wave of cheerful, animated noise. Who knew that the sounds of chairs bumping desks, book shelves being refilled, brooms sweeping dust and the random chatter of twenty-something pupils could be so... heartening.

He was momentarily distracted by the rather normal happenings of his classmates, their actions oddly soothing. It was strange. He had witnessed such scenes often. Why were they affecting him so much now?

Oh. Maybe because they were _normal_, something his life hadn't been as of late.

"What happened?" he repeated her words slowly, as if testing them, snapping out of his slight daze. If there was anyone in the world who he could discuss almost anything with, it was Manami. No one understood or knew him better than his childhood friend.

...unfortunately, what was bothering him happened to be something he couldn't – _wouldn't_ – talk about, even with her.

No. Never.

After all, how could he ever reveal that he woke up with his younger sister in his arms while staying at a love hotel? Yeah, that wouldn't go down very well.

He'd rather step off the roof of a very tall building. It would be _safer_.

Unintentionally, he recalled the smooth warmth of his sister's midriff as his arm curled protectively around her slim waist, the silky smooth texture of her luscious hair brushing against his jaw as she buried her face in his neck, the rhythmic rise and fall of her budding chest against his own firm muscled torso...

...the moist sensation of her soft lips against his collarbone...

Kyousuke sat bolt upright, nearly upturning his desk in the process. Manami retreated with a yelp, almost tripping as she backtracked.

"Kyou-chan!" she called, surprised. Kyousuke remained rigid.

"I'm fine,"

"Kyou-ch-"

"Really," he cut her off, wincing at her crestfallen expression. He hadn't meant to sound so harsh. "I'm fine."

No, he wasn't. The last couple of weeks had been the longest of his life. He felt like he'd aged a few years in such a short amount of time, ever since that dreaded night.

They had begun the night apart, on opposite sides of the bed – and with good cause. He had never been in more awkward situation in his life. How could it be anything other than awkward? You weren't supposed to visit these types of hotels with your sibling. However, keeping apart had obviously not lasted the entire night. Again, he couldn't help but remember the feeling of his arms brushing against smooth, young skin – revealed to his touch when her shirt rode up a little too high in her sleep. The smell of her hair was vivid; the shampoo provided by the hotel a sweet peach aroma that drove him insane.

He'd nearly died right there and then. He was _positive_ that his vision had flashed white. Perhaps he had seen the afterlife?

It had taken every ounce of control he was capable of drawing on not to scream at that very moment. Luckily, it had been enough. He'd been able to escape without waking her and she was none the wiser. Just thinking about what she might have _done_ to him if she'd woken up, his body moulded against her...

That didn't help much with his tormented psyche. Ever since, he'd been jumpy around her – and she was starting to notice it, too. Her annoyed frowns were just the beginning. She had taken to glaring at him randomly, much like she used to before they had rekindled their fractured relationship. She'd even thrown one of her magazines at him when he'd refused to look at her longer than a few seconds at a time. He was so afraid that she'd figure out what happened that he could barely function in her presence.

Saori and Kuroneko had also noticed his strange behaviour, subtly questioning him when he accompanied the three of them to Winter Comiket. He had remained tight lipped, but he got the feeling that they knew it had something to do with Kirino.

He really needed to get himself under control.

"Oh Kyou-chan,"

Kyousuke grimaced, hating the way she sounded so disappointed. Standing, he put his arm around Manami's shoulders and steered her towards the door, bag held securely in his free hand. She stiffened in shock, cheeks flushing a healthy red at the unexpected contact. He ignored the pointed looks he got from some of the students – mostly male. They had been asking him strange questions lately about Manami; uncomfortable questions that he tried to dismiss and was largely successful. Even Akagi had even hinted at Manami possibly getting a boyfriend and wondering how he'd react to such a thing. He'd asked that particular question around Halloween time – and unfortunately, it hadn't been the last time.

It was obvious, wasn't it? He'd beat them up, no matter who they were.

"Come on, let's go home. I'll treat you to some food on the way."

"...I'm still worried about you." she muttered, head bowed with embarrassment as they exited the school grounds. Kyousuke rolled his eyes, not having expected the manoeuvre to work but frustrated all the same. It wasn't Manami's fault, of course – she was being a great friend by trying to help him.

He removed his arm, walking beside her normally. He missed her disappointed pout. "I know. Really, I'm fine."

They briefly stopped at a food stall; Kyousuke ordered some _yakitori_ - grilled chicken skewers – for the both of them, as well as a soda each. Making themselves comfortable on a nearby park bench, they ate their meal in silence. It wasn't until they were halfway through their drinks that their attention was diverted elsewhere.

"Kyou-chan, look!"

Blinking, Kyousuke watched as a series of vans pulled up, various people unloading an assortment of goods only moments later. Cameras, lights, reflective screens – one van was even completely filled with clothing, all neatly sorted on a built-in rack. He stared, perplex at the sudden hive of activity taking place before him.

"What's going on..." he said slowly after a few minutes of merely watching everything unfold. "Are they shooting a movie?" he asked, suddenly excited despite himself. Maybe they'd need a few extras. He thought that would be quite cool. Kousaka Kyousuke, movie star – not exactly the normal lifestyle he craved, but he could make an exception.

"I-I think it's a photo shoot."

"Oh?"

Kyousuke followed Manami's line of sight, freezing in place.

_Oh..._

"It's Kirino-chan!"

Kyousuke grunted, watching as his sister approached an older man with a moustache who looked like he was in charge. She was accompanied by Ayase and another girl he didn't know, all still dressed in their school uniforms. He suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable with the situation and was about to suggest they leave when a hand landed on his shoulder, scaring the ever loving shit out of him.

"WHAA-!"

"Kukuku, that went better than expected."

Kyousuke stared up with wide frantic eyes.

"K-Kanako?"

"W-What have I said about using my name so familiarly," the tiny brown-haired girl snapped, cheeks darkening with a blush. Manami looked surprised at the familiar use of her name by her childhood friend. "Don't you ever learn?"

Kyousuke nodded quickly. "S-Sorry. You just startled me, that's all."

Kanako huffed, hands on hips. Kyousuke couldn't help but think she looked incredibly cute in her school uniform, even with the scowl she was currently sending his way. She looked much younger this way, more innocent and pure. It was strange what clothes could do to a person's perception. _Strange and worrisome_, he thought.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, absentmindedly making room for her to sit. She did so, crossing her legs and drawing an involuntary look. Kyousuke vowed to himself that he should really do something about that bad habit of his.

Fortunately for his health, she didn't notice. "Kirino-chan asked me to tag along," she explained, pointing towards her friends. "Ayase-chan too. I've been thinking about giving modelling a go, you know?"

And there was that infectious confidence again, something that Kyousuke couldn't help but get caught up in. He smiled, his troubles of the past few weeks melting into the background.

"You'd be a great model," he complimented, drawing a startled look from the younger girl. He couldn't help but add, "Just another thing to accomplish on your journey to become an idol!"

Kanako blinked rapidly, before a massive grin broke out on her face. "Damn straight!" she yelled, bringing her curled fist into the palm of her hand with an audible 'smack'. "You saw me sing, right? Wasn't I awesome? Aha!"

"You were amazing," he nearly-but-not-quite gushed, clearly getting carried away with himself. The twin-tailed girl didn't seem to mind at all. "Everyone was blown away! You'll be an idol in no time!"

They both laughed loudly.

"Um," Manami began, voice small. She was mildly disturbed at their synchronised laughter. "Who is your friend, Kyou-chan?"

Both teens paused in their laughter, Kyousuke looking slightly embarrassed. Kanako was in a similar state, though less at her outburst and more at not introducing herself properly.

"Ah, how rude of me," standing up, Kanako bowed. "My name is Kurusu Kanako. Pleased to meet you."

Manami followed suit, smiling happily. "My name is Tamura Manami. Please treat me well."

"What are _you_ doing here?"

Kyousuke felt the chill of the arctic tundra envelope him. Resigned to his fate, he turned towards the owner of the voice. Kirino glared at him, hand outstretched and finger pointing at him dramatically. Ayase was next to her, an equally venomous look on her face that made him pretty nervous. It wasn't the worst look he had received from her, but it still made him sad... and scared out of his mind. There was something about Ayase that terrified him – truly. He was certain that if that girl had the right motivation, violent action would not be beyond the realm of possibility.

Mustering whatever courage he had in reserve, he adopted a rather disinterested expression. He gestured at the crumpled paper towel and bare skewers in his lap. "Eating."

Kirino opened and closed her mouth, startled at his nonchalant reply. It was unexpected, especially with how he had been behaving recently. No hurried explanations, no avoiding eye contact, no shying away from her very presence – just calmness. Her hand lowered limply.

"Oh," was her lame comeback. Kyousuke blinked.

That had been easy.

"You are here to spy on us, aren't you? _Hentai!_"

Too easy.

Kyousuke gulped at the enraged expression on Ayase's face as she stormed up to him, before calming himself once more. He was proud of himself.

"Spy?" he questioned, scratching his cheek. His hand was remarkably steady. "What do you mean?"

Ayase eyed him suspiciously, placing herself between Kyousuke and Kirino in a protectively manner. He sighed tiredly.

"Oooh, trouble in paradise?" Kanako quipped cheekily, elbowing him in the side. He winced, rubbing his poor ribs – she was stronger than she looked. Ayase and Kirino jumped at the sound of her voice, only now realising that she was sitting next to him on the bench. Kyousuke just knew this wasn't going to end well.

"Get away from him, Kanako-chan!" Ayase yelled in an overly exaggerated manner. He glanced around nervously, hoping no one would get the wrong idea. The last thing he needed was to be hauled away by the police because people thought he was harassing middle school girls. "He's a massive pervert!"

"What, this guy?" Kanako asked, elbowing him again. This time he was able to get his arm in the way and deflect it. "Yeah, probably," she admitted, causing Kyousuke to sag at her easy acceptance. "But he's pretty cool, so I trust him not to try anything."

Silence.

_...did she just call me cool?_

He felt energized, like he could take on the world and come out on top. Kirino looked like she was on a really bad acid trip, with the expression that dominated her face – before, unexpectedly, anger took its place. Ayase froze, staring at Kanako in horror. Manami watched silently, completely and utterly lost.

"Oh my god," Ayase whispered in disbelief, shaking her head slowly. "He has brainwashed you, hasn't he?"

_Wait, what?_

Kanako rolled her eyes. "Since when have you been so silly?" then, all of a sudden, a sly grin tugged at her lips. "Oooh, I see what's going on here."

"What do you mean?" Kyousuke asked, curious. Kanako started laughing, slinging an arm around his neck. He tried to ignore the way her slender body pressed against him.

"She's getting all worked up because she's jealous, that's all."

"WHAT?"

Ayase looked appalled at the very idea, face completely red – whether from extreme anger or embarrassment, he couldn't tell. Kirino glanced at her best friend strangely, obviously considering the young brunettes words.

"I am not jealous!" Ayase shouted, panicking when she spotted Kirino's look. "Kirino, don't believe her!" her ire turned away from Kyousuke and focused firmly on Kanako. "Don't say such ridiculous things!"

Kanako laughed, only flustering the young model even more. "Oh, this just proves my point after all."

"It does not!"

"Denial isn't healthy." Kanako sang.

"I'm not in denial!"

"You are so cute, Ayase-chan."

"Auurgh!"

"You have very... lively friends, Kyou-chan." Manami whispered in his ear. He could tell she was trying to be polite and instead of lively, she probably meant strange.

"You have no idea," he answered, thinking of Saori and Kuroneko.

"Aragaki-san," a male voice called. Everyone turned towards the source. "Kousaka-san,"

It was the man from before who looked like he was in charge of the photo shoot, a camera dangling from his neck via a leather strap. He didn't look impressed.

"You have ten minutes. Come on, we have work to do."

He then noticed Kyousuke and frowned suspiciously.

"Is this guy bothering you two?"

Kyousuke couldn't help but feel insulted at the insinuation. Incensed, he nearly snapped at the man but was able to keep his cool – barely. Instead, he settled for glaring at him.

"He's nobody. Come on, Ayase." Kirino said, tugging her friend's hand. Kanako blinked, glancing at Kyousuke to see his reaction. To her surprise, he looked perfectly unfazed by Kirino's offhanded and hurtful comment.

The other man loitered a bit before following his charges, satisfied that the elder Kousaka wasn't some sort of deviant luring middle school girls away.

"Urgh, I'm going home," Kyousuke muttered, getting to his feet. "See you tomorrow, Manami – and nice seeing you again, Kurusu-san."

"Call me Kanako."

"Huh?" he uttered, perplexed. "But I thought you said that was too familiar?"

Flushing lightly, she turned away with a huff. "Who cares? Just call me Kanako, okay?"

He shrugged as if to say whatever, but couldn't stop the smile that crossed his face. "Sure."

OoOoO

Kyousuke hated being sick.

He wasn't unique in this feeling. Most people felt the same way. Being sick wasn't exactly fun, after all. But what he hated more...

"Errgh," he grumbled, coughing into his hand. He splashed his face with water, glaring wearily at his reflection. He looked haggard and worn, eyes bloodshot and sagging from lack of sleep; his skin pasty white and sticky with sweat. Hair an untidy mess and posture slouched, he looked utterly defeated.

...what Kyousuke hated even more, though, was being sick for an entire _week_.

Splashing himself again, he turned the tap off and slowly dried his face. Task complete, he carefully left the bathroom and hauled his bone tired body up the stairs, one agonizing stair at a time. All in all, it took about five minutes longer that it normally would for the teenager to reach his ultimate destination; his wondrous, glorious bed.

Since the start of the week, he'd been practically bedridden with sickness. The doctor had prescribed antibiotics and over the course of a few days, his condition _had_ improved; however, he was still ill, no where near capable of returning to school. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were brought to him by his mother, while the rest of the occupants of the Kousaka residence kept their distance, least they catch it from him and become bedridden themselves.

He'd felt a little disappointed that Kirino hadn't checked on him, but then remembered who he was dealing with here. Strangely, the disappointment didn't fade after reminding himself of this fact.

Thankfully, he still possessed her laptop, so he wasn't bored out of mind. He had made serious headway in the _eroge_ he was currently attempting to clear, and he had spent more time than was probably healthy surfing the internet. Porn was the furthest thing from his mind, though – so he hadn't been able to add to his collection.

_What am I thinking at a time like this,_ he chided himself, climbing under the sheets. _If Kirino found out that I was using her computer for that..._

He knew exactly what would happen. _Best not to dwell on it_, he reasoned, eyes getting heavy.

A creak alerted him that he was no longer alone.

An eye peered at him through the crack of his door, drawing his attention.

"Kirino?" he questioned.

She entered quickly, shutting the door behind herself. The first thing he noticed were her clothes, a pair of woollen boots adorning her feet. Black tights hugged her legs, a pair of shorts worn over the top. A giant, puffy coat covered the rest of her body, bright pink in colour; the collar hiding the lower half of her face from view. Even still, the second thing he noticed was that she looked nervous; fidgeting where she stood.

"A-Are you feeling better?" she asked softly, unbuttoning her coat. It looked slightly wet, as if she had been outside in the rain. A quick glance at the window showed a light shower had started, steadily becoming stronger.

"A little," he confessed, rather curious as to why she was here. "Do you want your laptop?"

She shook her head quickly, moist hair flaring around her. Shedding her jacket and letting it pool on the floor, he was greeted by the sight of a denim vest and dark undershirt.

"Mum and dad are out," she explained, hands clasped behind her back. She shuffled awkwardly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear when it came loose.

"Oh?"

"W-Would you like something to eat?"

The world froze. Kyousuke blinked slowly.

"Um," he muttered eloquently. "What?"

_Did she just ask if I-_

"I-I asked if you'd like something to eat..." she trailed off timidly, rubbing her neck now.

_This can't be Kirino... there is no way my sister is this-_

"Well?" she prompted. He nodded, in a state of shock.

"Sure," he added. "That'd be great."

She beamed at him, before turning away swiftly – as if she were trying to hide her expression.

"W-Well, I'll be back soon."

And with that, she left.

He pinched himself, hard... several times.

_Not a dream... what the hell is going on?_

She was acting like a normal little sister and that was the problem. She didn't do these types of things for him; never had – and until a few moments ago – Kyousuke believed she never would. It was a... pleasant change...

...but rather scary.

What had brought on this rather unexpected turn of events? Perhaps the unthinkable was occurring – that she was concerned for her big brother? He wasn't willing to go that far; at least, not yet.

An upbeat tune pierced the silence and he took a few seconds to realise his phone had received a text. Rolling over with a groan, he plucked his green cell phone from his desk and flipped it open. Saori's name appeared, blinking periodically under the words 'New Message'. Clicking on it, he read the short but terribly confusing message.

_Enjoy the maid service, Kyousuke-shi! ^_^_

_Saori_

He had a feeling that he was missing something profound here, but for the life of him he couldn't work it out. That girl could be annoyingly vague at times, while embarrassingly blunt at others. Strangely enough, he rather liked it when she was blunt – even though it usually involved him and some situation he'd rather not be a part of. It was easier to deal with when he knew what was coming, even if he couldn't stop it.

This... just worried him.

His phone shut with a loud snap and he dropped it carelessly to the carpet below.

Ten minutes later, Kirino returned with a tray of food to the sight of Kyousuke almost asleep.

"Hey you," she commanded, some of her old self shining through. "Don't go to sleep yet. This food won't eat itself."

Groaning, Kyousuke propped himself up against the wall, still curled up under his blankets. The young model placed the tray next to him as he observed the assortment of food – a bowl of rice and barbeque pork, with a side dish of sushi. Smiling weakly, he grabbed a piece of sushi and popped it in his mouth, chewing hungrily. He hadn't noticed before but he was quite famished.

"This is good," he complimented, reaching for another piece. Kirino beamed at him widely, cheeks rosy. "Thanks Kirino."

"No problem, _Aniki_."

He nearly choked.

She gazed at him with hooded eyes, crawling across the bed carefully and revealing her small cleavage with every movement. He felt it difficult to draw breath, heart pounding viciously in his chest. A brief spell of dizziness took hold as she cupped his cheek, legs straddling his tired form with firm warmth. He felt incredibly hot at the contact, breaking out in a sweat as his attractive little sister leaned into him, her face mere inches from his own. Throat dry, he barely got his next words past his lips.

"W-What are you doing?"

"Shh," she whispered, getting closer still. He had no where to go. "It's okay."

And then she kissed him.

.

.

.

"Hey you," a voice called, startling Kyousuke. "Don't go to sleep yet. This food won't eat itself."

With a jolt, he bolted upright, panting harshly. Kirino took a step back, surprised at his violent awakening.

"A-Are you alright?" she asked, genuinely worried. His eyes darted around frighteningly fast, almost rolling around in their sockets. "You don't look so good..."

Still panting, he attempted to calm down without much success.

_What the hell was that!_

He gazed at his sister with horror.

_Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god._

He was officially freaking out. It was like the love hotel all over again.

"D-Don't come any closer!" he yelled, slightly hysterical. Kirino jumped, almost dropping the tray. He noticed the bowl of rice, barbeque chicken and sushi, and nearly screamed.

"What's wrong?" she asked, frowning, confused and hurt. Kyousuke shook his head rapidly, nearly banging it against the wall in his haste.

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong. See? Nothing at all!" he babbled. "Thanks for the food! You can just leave it here."

"O-Oh," she mumbled, not sure how to handle this turn of events. "Okay."

Placing the tray on the bed, she left, shooting him worried glances as she did. When the door clicked shut, he almost sobbed in relief, flopping against the mattress in a boneless heap and nearly upturning the bowl of rice in the process. Breathing under control, he massaged his temples roughly.

_It's because I'm sick,_ he told himself, nodding franticly. _Just a hallucination brought on by a high temperature, that's all. Nothing I could help. Perfectly normal._

Trouble was that no matter how many times he kept repeating that...

...not once did he believe it.


End file.
